This invention concerns a kit for repairing damage to, and for restoring, damaged porcelain dental prostheses, such as porcelain caps or other previous restorations; and the invention concerns a method for making such repairs, and a composition for making such repair.
Porcelain dental prostheses are rather brittle, and they are often fractured or even partially broken off by accident or by improper use by the wearer or by stresses caused by the wearer's mastication. When this has happened, particularly, of course, with a fixed prosthesis or crown, it has heretofore been first necessary to remove the damaged prosthesis or crown. A new prosthesis was then prepared, and it was replaced in the patient's mouth at a later date. This tedious, time-consuming and expensive procedure was irksome and inconvenient for the patient, and it generally required an anesthetic.
The present invention provides a kit for repair of such damaged prosthesis while it remains in the patient's mouth. This kit contains all of the components necessary to make such repair in situ, using as tools the customary or available tools of the art. The kit is advantageous because the damaged area can be quickly prepared for repair by, first, cleaning and smoothing the damaged surfaces, while providing perpendicular walls at the site. Then the filling component of the kit is prepared and placed in the cavity in the damaged porcelain, allowed to set, and then finished. The whole operation normally is carried out in about 12 minutes.
Another advantage of the present invention is that no glazing of the finished repair is necessary, although glazing can be effected, if desired. The kit of this invention is easy to use, is compact, and can provide excellent shading of the repaired area to match the surrounding teeth or dentures. The method and mixing techniques of this invention are simple and are easily carried out. The filler component obtainable with the kit of this invention can provide excellent shading, as noted. It also adapts well into the walls of the prepared surface and adapts well to prepared margins of such surface, so that the filling or restoration is easy to finish.
A porcelain dental restoration typically comprises a metal base or jacket over the tooth itself, and the porcelain is applied as a coating of the desired thickness overlying and strongly bonded to the outer surface of the metal jacket.
The invention incorporates a system and materials for opaquing out the metal base in instances where the damage exposes bare metal.
A further advantage is that the kit provides restoration components which will set to a hard finish within times adapted to the individual dentist's practice requirements. It is another advantage that the kit does not contain cyanoacrylate, which tends to decompose in the body.